Getting disabled vets back to business

CEO and president H.T. Tran outside of his offices at Anvil Builders in San Francisco. Photo by Liz Hafalia

Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release its latest report on unemployment among U.S. military veterans. If it’s consistent with the recent past, it will likely show that young male veterans who served post-9/11 are more likely to be unemployed than men of the same age who didn’t serve.

An exception to that rule: Those who report having a service-related disability are not more likely than other vets to be unemployed.

That might be partly thanks to efforts like California’s Disabled Veterans Business Alliance (DVBA), which helps vets who want to go into business for themselves connect with business partners and opportunities. Vets like H.T. Tran of San Francisco’s Anvil Builders, who has built a thriving business over the past three years.

On Thursday, the DVBA will host a networking event in Oakland for disabled vets seeking business opportunities, with potential clients such as PG&E, Hewlett-Packard and government agencies in attendance.

What are the challenges disabled vets face in business, and in life after recovering from trauma? And what special skills do they bring to the world of business? Click here to read Carrie Kirby’s story in today’s Business report to find out.